SPRING FEVER!

Help! I’ve come down with…

SPRING FEVER!

No, this isn’t something you need to see Tom in the health clinic about! Spring fever can only be cured by venturing outside the hotel doors, into the sunlight- take it from the ducks! Us ducks are always outdoors but there’s no better time to be a duck than in the spring time. I’m assuming by now all you intelligent NCED folks are familiar with the daily duck agenda; swimming, waddling, crossing the street, etc. but what’s a human to do in the spring weather?! Well, from what I hear, the chatter in the courtyards suggests that the fitness area can prescribe some great spring activities to get you moving and grooving! A few of these activities I can personally recommend because I have had a whack at them myself, such as walking or jogging on the two facility trails, renting some golf equipment and hitting a local course, and you can even partake in tennis lessons. Alright maybe I, myself haven’t actually ever had a tennis lesson but Maureen says I have the build of a natural athlete.  And if my legs were longer you would definitely see me cruising around Norman on a bicycle. Biking is something I’ll leave for YOU to enjoy but if you would, rent a bike for me and come and tell me about your adventures when you get back. I’ll be in the north courtyard, or the pond, or outside the main learning center, either way the point is, I’ll be here!

Quack, quack, quack, quack, QUACK! (That means the NCED rocks our flock!)

Love,

Mack and Maureen

Halloween is Here!

Trick or treat

Smell my beak

Ducks need lots of treats to eat.

And when you see us by the pond,

Leave the snacks and move along.

My feathers are already freazin’ and it’s only fall! Luckily the month of October is filled with plenty of fun festivities. Our Sooners will be playing Kansas and Notre Dame this month. BOOMER SOONER! QUACK! And if some high quality football doesn’t raise your spirits, the only holiday where you can dress up as a spirit and haunt hotel guests is almost here! Did I say haunt? I mean help of course- we ducks help the guests on Halloween... we accept candy as tips. Have you seen what the NCED looks like when it is sold out, bursting at the seams with crazed football fanatics? Now that’s something that will give you a fright.

Happy Halloween everyone!

Flappy August NCED-ers!

In case you haven’t left the housing facility lately, I’d like to report non-stop feather-fraying heat and humidity outside. I can’t believe is almost quack to school time!  If Maureen and I didn’t occasionally hop on the shuttle to Wal-Mart to witness all the school supplies on display, we would have sworn 6 more weeks of summer. But I’m no groundhog, so it’s time to organize the welcoming committee for all the Sooner students flooding back to town! Oh, and we can’t forget that behind every student is their parents, making the trek to Norman to stock their kids up on toilet paper and provide free labor. The ducklings made their way over to the dorms last fall with intent to get a taste of the college experience but after almost getting crushed by a shower caddy and microwaved for a quick snack, they flapped home as fast as their flippers could flip. Let me tell you, never underestimate the power of a college freshman’s appetite. No wonder all the students want to stop in for breakfast when their parents stay here!

Here on property, the beginning of the semester is just as hectic for us resident ducks and geese. Maureen enjoys homeschooling some of the younger and more timid ducklings, but the rest of the brood ventures around the pond to attend public school with the geese. As a father of many fuzzy flappers I was initially concerned about the influence the geese would have on my brood (everyone knows that geese are excessively tardy and disruptive in class) but throughout the years my ducklings have made the honor roll and have upheld the marvelous Muscovy reputation. Maureen and I think that our ducklings learn their stupendous work ethic from watching all the postal students study. Now, the start of classes is great and everything but I know that everyone is trying not to be too distracted by the upcoming start of FOOTBALL! The ducklings are actually hassling me to toss around the ol’ pigskin and you know I can’t resist, so I will check in with you guys sooner rather than later!

Have a quacktastic rest of your summer!

-          Mack, Maureen, and our feathery family

Sweet, Sweet, Summertime!

So now it is summer, this fact is quite true. People like to stay inside the NCED, but what do ducks do? Well I’m glad you asked! You see, ducks do more in the summer than they do in the spring, winter, or fall, and knowing our family, we do nothing that is small.

We’re planning a family vacation; I think we’ll take the shuttle. Bricktown sounds fun on Saturday but to make it we’ll have to scuttle. The Ducklings sleep in on the warm weekend days, while Maureen gets up early to sneak in some extra sunny rays. Myself, I like the pool; it’s just as refreshing as it is fun. I like volleyball, marco-polo, and swimming races; there isn’t a water game I haven’t won. I’m out there from 5:30am until dark at midnight. If you think your fingers and toes would look shriveled, well my flippers are quite a sight. The fine folks at fitness teach the ducklings advanced swimming lessons; they strive to be the best all-duck synchronized swimming team. Those cute quackers want to represent the NCED in the upcoming Olympics.  Their goal may seem lofty but Muscovy ducks aim high! We do much more than wait by the guard gate and wave as you pass by.  

So when you pass us this summer, by the pool or on the lawn, we’ll be working on our tans- say "hi", and then move along.

Sincerely,

Mac, Maureen, and the NCED synchronized duck swimming team

NCED Special Report: When Geese Attack

Stepping outside, you are guaranteed to encounter birds and ducks roaming freely around the property, but where will you be the next time the geese attack?

Sergeant police chief, Mac here to educate all you fine hotel patrons about the dangers lurking in every courtyard. We have records of geese robbing pedestrians of personal items such as sunglasses, but why would a goose need sunglasses? The more you think about it, the more twisted the crime becomes. It seems that these thieves steal for the thrill of it and that’s just intolerable! This past week an unsuspecting spouse found herself running for her life with an enraged goose flapping behind her. The goose was not satisfied until the poor woman tumbled to the ground. The only witness was the woman’s husband who was too busy laughing at the situation to intervene. Rest assured the Muscovy duck police force is not taking this matter lightly. “A new brood of ducklings was just born and they are already being trained to secure the perimeters” says assistant police Chief Maureen. The victim of the most recent goose attack was able to walk away with minimal injuries, a tiny scraped knee and the haunting memories of her husband finding her attack hilarious seem to be the only damage….this time. Remember, the geese are out there but so is the most rigidly trained duck police force in Oklahoma (and probably the world)

Spring is here!

Well spring is springing, the birds are singing, and we ducks are beginning to get excited about all the things that happen in the spring! One of my most favorite events to waddle over to is the Norman Medieval Fair! You betcha I dress up, get an enormous funnel cake, and partake in spontaneous sword fighting. Lately the ducklings have been asking about taking a camel ride and jumping in the bouncy house, and as their father, I decided they are finally old enough to waddle on the wild side this year. Prepare for a Medieval Muscovy takeover, Norman! Maureen and I try our best to partake in regular family traditions and Easter is no exception.  There’s nothing we love more than a spirited egg hunt, but we find it so much more challenging to go seek out OTHER people’s hidden Easter eggs! If you think that fluffy white bunnies and sweet yellow chicks’ Easter staples, you’ve obviously never seen a brood of sugar crazed Muscovy ducks rampaging across the grass, focused on filling their Easter baskets. When we’ve eaten all our peeps and we’re absolutely sure that no eggs have eluded us, it’s time to sit back and take a dip in the pond. Every year Maureen enlists all the ducklings and sometimes the geese (but they’re pretty much a lost cause) to help out with some spring cleaning! By nature we Muscovy ducks have a very keen eye for aesthetics and excel in fine landscaping. However, each year we find that grooming the entire NCED grounds to be a bigger job than anticipated and by June we resign to quackin’ poolside. Speakin’ of splashin- the pool will plan to open April first! We’re all geared up to spring into spring, are you?  I’ll flap ya on the flip side NCED-ers!

-          Mac & Moe

Roses are red,

Violets are blue

We’re freezing our tails off,

Can we come live with you?

Oh, I’m just pullin’ your beak, the NCED pond is home all year round! But hey, I hope that the ducklings, Maureen, and I are on your valentines list. You people know that we are the most spirited Muscovy ducks in town and we won’t rest until everyone on property has a little candy hearts box. For many of our ducklings this is their first February the fourteenth and honestly, they seem a bit flustered! I, being the ladies duck that I am, have tried to give them my best wooing techniques. What is my no-fail, go-to move you ask? The wacky-waddle waltz! Just ask Maureen; She was so incredibly impressed with my waddle waltz that she was wooed after my first waddle and has been my valentine ever since. But let me warn you, with moves that smooth you are bound to attract some geese!  Nothing against the geese, they need love too but have you ever dated or even gotten close to a goose? Those birds will flap you across the beak faster than you can say “doilies”.  Goose troubles aside I can say that I’m filled with warm feelings for all of my valentines at the NCED. So far we’ve even managed to hold on to some sunshine (the weather makers in the skies must be pleased with the offerings of twigs and popcorn we’ve been arranging for them). Even though we love the winter weather, the warm weekends encourage the wonderful people to stroll by us and toss us some snacks! Happy February everyone!

 P.S. If you liked the poem up top, Mack’s Musings about Love and More, is my bestselling book of poetry that is available upon request. It’s a Muscovy must-have for you and your sweetie.